Could it be safe?

[Spitfire1975]

I would like to use my '86 Bronco II to haul a small camper trailer (13-16ft & 1500-2000 lbs dry). I am aware the short wheel base could be an issue.

Here's "The Plan."

1. Perform the 4.0 swap and mate it to the M5OD.
2. Keep the existing 3.73 gear ratio in the 7.5 and D28
3. Beef up (replace) the leaf springs and possibly add air "helper" springs
4. Replace any worn out body mounts, axle pivot bushings, etc.
5. Add a steering stabilizer and load equalizing equipment for the trailer
6. I already have a frame mounted trailer hitch

I imagine most trailers come with electric or surge brakes.

The GVWR on this truck is 4160 lbs but I have no idea what the combined rating is.

I think the power set-up in this would haul the load just fine, but am not sure about the stability issues. I don't really want to bump to a larger vehicle.

Does anyone have any insight they care to share?

[pwrranger88]

ive towed a small home made trailer with over a cord of firewood through the woods an about 40 miles and i had no issues my broncos lifted 7 inches with 33s and the a4ld and i had it hooked up to the bumper . id throw a set of explorer springs in the back and a set of air shocks in it.

[Spitfire1975]

Well, I guess it will be fine.

[AllanD]

Towing a <2000# camper trailer with a 3.73 geared 4.0 Ranger "sway" isn't an issue, a steering stabilizer isn't necissary and stiffer springs shouldn't be necissary unless the camper is grotesquely nose heavy.

What IS likely to be an issue is frontal area and it's affect on wind drag.

Sway COULD be an issue if the trailer is setup for the tow to be light in the nose.

In short:
1) insufficient static tongue weight causes sway
2) dynamically reduced tongue weight caused by aerodynamic drag
can cause sway.

In essence "Sway" is caused by improper weight distribution.

AD

[racsan]

+1 on frontal area. i have a 6x10 box trailer that empty weighs only 1,000 pounds, its a tall trailer, almost 8ft from the ground to the roof of it. and even with a "V"-nose front, the empty trailer will drag my rangers fuel milage down from 18 (empty truck itself) to about 12 mpg (empty truck pulling empty trailer) if i stay below 45 it helps some, but then the rpm isnt where it needs to be for maximum tourque, but go faster to get the rpms up to reach max tourque (60 mph in 4rth gear) then wind resistance is increased and i might as well be dragging a parachute behind me. granted i seem to have plenty of power to pull with, it just really goes through the fuel doing so. ive thought about going to 4:10 gears (have 3.73's now) but no more than i pull it, i just live with it. and since having a incident resulting in a bent frame, im thinking i should retire the ranger from towing duty & use my wife's S-blazer to tow with instead.

[4x4junkie]

I tow this from time to time with no problem (well, other than 45-50MPH is about all my 2.9L can muster up a good long grade without keeping it 'tacked' out past 5000RPM lol)... Fully loaded it's about 3500lbs.


Definitely use a weight-equalizing hitch. It goes a long way in maintaining stability with the short wheelbase, especially if you have to hit the brakes suddenly (I run one of those friction anti-sway devices too).

4WD BII GCWR ratings are as high as 8500lbs (5000lb trailer weight) according to the '87 brochure.

[shane96ranger]

Originally Posted by 4x4junkie

OK, timeout.

I'd like to just pause for a moment say that your B2 is freaking sweet.




That is all....

you may return to your regularly scheduled programming.

[Spitfire1975]

+1

[4x4junkie]

lol, Thanks guys

That pic is actually about 5 years old now, though I guess it's outward appearance hasn't changed a whole lot too much (that pic just might be before the cage though).

[wildbill23c]

So what's the true towing capacity of the Bronco II without all the spring swaps, gear swaps etc? Picking up a 1984 B2 here in November. 2.8L 5speed 4x4. Will I have any issues towing a 2300lb atv/trailer around?

[adsm08]

As said before it is speced for about 5000 lbs trailer weight. It will be slow, but it should move her.

[wildbill23c]

5,000lbs is quite a bit of trailer weight for the bronco II, but I imagine with an equilizer hitch setup it would do pretty well, I wouldn't expect to win any races by any means but I'm sure it could handle it. My grandparents towed a 16-17 foot travel trailer all over the country behind a 2WD ford ranger with automatic transmission, 2.8L v6 and never had a problem, they actually would have to pull over and wait for friends of theirs who had a 1/2 ton dodge ram 318 V8 to catch up to them so I don't think it would have much problems pulling a trailer like that, just don't try and go too fast because you won't be able to stop very easily, and try to get the trailer brakes adjusted on it so they grab hold slightly before the vehicle's brakes. Most travel trailers have electric brakes so you will need a trailer brake controller and they are around $70 and up. You don't need a fancy controller they all get the job done. If you don't have the controller the brakes on the trailer will not work at all.